Ottawa’s decision to allocate $1.3 billion for the construction of a new hospital for inmates in New Brunswick has been criticized as a significant misallocation of resources by Canada’s Correctional Investigator, Ivan Zinger, in his latest annual report. Zinger, who serves as the ombudsman for inmates in the federal correctional system, suggests that the government should instead collaborate with provincial facilities to provide acute mental health services.
He argues that Correctional Service Canada could have opted for a more humane, cost-effective, and sustainable approach by enhancing bed capacity through provincial partnerships. Zinger emphasizes that the $1.3 billion earmarked for the new facility could have supported such a model for many years to come. He expresses concern over the proximity of the planned hospital to the Dorchester Penitentiary, advocating for mental health care for inmates to be administered outside of the prison environment.
Zinger stresses that individuals with severe mental illnesses should be viewed as patients first and not solely as inmates. He points out the discrepancy in how physical health needs are addressed by transferring inmates to external hospitals, while mental health care is predominantly provided internally within correctional facilities.
Although Zinger was not available for immediate comment, he urges the federal government to reconsider its current course of action. In response, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree states that he will collaborate with the Correctional Investigator’s office to address the concerns raised in the report. Despite Zinger’s recommendation to halt the construction of the new facility, the government has decided to proceed with the project.
Recent reports reveal that the project’s estimated cost has surged to $1.3 billion, a significant increase from the initial $400 million budget allocated in 2021. The new hospital will replace the Shepody Healing Centre within the Dorchester Penitentiary, which has been likened to a “dungeon” by a psychiatrist at the facility. Situated in the riding of Beauséjour, the project has the support of longtime cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc, who acknowledged the escalated budget without specifying a precise figure.
Advocating for the transfer of individuals with severe mental health needs to community-based psychiatric hospitals, Zinger emphasizes the importance of tailored care for those experiencing acute psychiatric crises. Luc Doucet, the former director of the Shepody Centre, defends the necessity of establishing a new facility outside the prison walls despite the increased costs, citing the obligation to provide appropriate treatment to ensure public safety upon inmates’ release.